Method of producing condensers or the like



July 5 1949.. u. KRAMER METHOD OF PRODUCING CONDENSERS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 20, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

Pat ented July 5, 1949 METHOD OF PRODUCING CONDENSERS OR THE LIKE Israel Kramer, Trenton, N. J., asslgnor to Kramer Trenton Company, Trenton, N. J., a corpora.-

tlon of New Jersey Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 578,906

3 Claims. (Cl. 29-1573) This invention relates to a method of producing a condenser, or the like, intended chiefly for use in refrigerating apparatus. Various ways of connecting and using such a condenser in refrigerating apparatus and analogous constructions are well known to those skilled in the art and constitute no part of this invention which is directed to the construction of the condenser itself.

An object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the parts are so formed that the fiuid conducting tube, or tubes, and fins may be assembled into operative relationship without the necessity of attaching the return bends, or curved connecting portions, to the straight parallel runs of the tube following the location of the fins on the said parallel runs.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the conducting tube is formed in a continuous length with appropriate bends, and groups of fins are thereafter assembled with the tube by inserting them between adjacent substantially parallel portions or runs of the tube, the assembly of each group of fins with the tube being accomplished by a single relative movement of the parts.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the fins are so formed as to insure their automatic alignment and parallelism with each other when deposited into a magazine or container following their formation by a stamping machine or the like.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the fins are formed for automatic alignment and parallelism in the magazine or container by providing edges of the fins with recesses for cooperation with elements of the magazine.

Another object is to provide a construction in which portions of the fins that have contact with the tube are formed with lateral projections for uniformly spacing the fins with respect to each other when they are assembled with the tube.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the last named lateral projections on the fins are arranged to increase the thermal contact of the fins with the tube.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the radiating surface area afforded by the fins is relatively very large as compared with the bulk or size of the structure as a whole.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the form and location of the fins are such 7 as materially to add to the rigidity and strength of Another object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, arrangement, and method of production whereby the above named and other objects may effectively be attained.

The fin herein referred to is actually a fractional fin unit adapted for cooperative assembly with a single pair of parallel portions of the tube, so that association of a plurality of such units, both horizontally and vertically, is required to constitute a complete fin structure in the apparatus.

Practical embodiments of the invention are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a detail broken side elevation of a conducting tube with groups of fins assembled in operative relationship therewith, and showing a group of fins being assembled with the tube by manipulation of a magazine.

Fig. 2 represents an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a front view of a fin of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 represents a vertical section taken in the plane of the line IV-IV of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5-represents a rear view of the fin shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 represents a broken top plan view of a i magazine shown in Fig. 6, with several fins in position.

Referring to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and '7, the tube which forms a conduit for the fluid passing therethrough is of sinuous or serpentine form and includes a plurality of straight parallel runs I, with a plurality of return bends, or curved connecting portions 2, each of the latter serving to connect a pair of runs. While the runs and bends have been separately named and marked they are, in the practice of this invention, integral with each other, the tube as a whole being composed of a single length of suitable material such, for instance, as copper or brass, and bent into its sinuous shape by suitable means and method which are well known to those skilled in this art and need not be described.

Operatively associated with the tube or conduit l, 2, is a group of fins 3 which-are preferably stamped or died from strips of appropriate material, such as copper or brass, the stamping oper- Speaking in a very general way, each fin is of substantially oblong shape with the top and bottom edges thereof cut out to form semicircular recesses 8, 4. One of the side edges is also cut away to form a shallow angular recess 5, while the opposite side edge is formed with a projecting tongue 6 that is similar in size and shape to recess 5. At the ends of recess are fashioned projections 1, l, and at the ends of tongue 6 are fashioned notches 8, 8 which are of substantially the same size and shape as the projections i.

Each recess 4, t has a pair of laterally extending flanges'Q, 9 which are curved to conform to the curve of said recesses and are tapered toward their extremities. The extremity of each flange 9 has a tip it which is bent so as to project substantially at right angles to the flange and to lie in substantially the same plane as the body of the fin 3. While each flange is shown in the drawings as provided with a tip, the desired result can be obtained by providing only one of the pair of flanges with a tip and, indeed, if the metal used for the fins is sufficiently stifi, e. g. as a result of thickness, it is not necessary to provide a tip on either of the flanges. Again, a single flange could be used.

The fins are stamped or died in large quantity by a machine for that purpose, and it is of commercial consequence that their handling and arrangement for association with the tube 5, 2 in the construction of the apparatus be as automatic and inexpensive as possible. From the stamping or dieing machine the fins are fed into a magazine or container which has upright members fitted to cooperate with the recesses Q and 5, and also with one or both notches 8, if desired, of each fin 3, so as to stack the successively received fins in exact alignment and parallelism with each other. Three upright members are sumcient for the purpose. The fins are caused to fall into the magazine or container in a horizontal position and with their flanges Q projecting in the same direction, so that it will be clear that the said flanges, with their tips Iii, serve to space the fins 3 from each other with precise uniformity and in accordance with the spacing predetermined for the apparatus. The fins thus properly aligned and spaced in their magazine are brought into operative association with the tube I, 2 by causing relative motion between a magazine containing a group of the fins and the tube whereby the said group of fins is slid between two of the substantially parallel runs or portions l of the tube, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. This relative motion may be caused by moving the group of fins, or by moving the tube, or by moving both, but it is preferred, in constructing an apparatus according to this invention, to move the group of fins while the tube is stationary. This motion of the fins is a sliding one with respect to the tube and'it preferably takes place in a direction opposite to the projection of the flanges 9 from the fins so that the said flanges trail, so to speak, during this operative association of the parts. Consequently, groups of fins adjacent to each other in the construction have opposite movements during the association because of the sinuous or serpentine shape of the tube, as well illustrated in Fig. 1.

The semicircular recesses 4 are curved to conform to the outer periphery of the tube I, 2, and their flanges 9 have the same curvature, with the result that the said flanges provide an extended 4. and very effective thermal contact between the fins and tube, which contact is insured and maintained by soldering the fins to the tube, as may be expeditiously accomplished by dipping the assembled tube and fins into molten solder after suitable treatment of the fins and adjacent parts or the tube to efiectuate the solder union.

The tips it on the flanges 9, by virtue of their angularity with respect to the flanges, are fitted to lie against the side of an adjacent fin to provide accurate and firm spacing of the fins as well as thermal contact therebetween. Their spacing effect eliminates the necessity of providing racks or combs in the magazine or container to which the fins are fed preliminary to their association with the tube.

By reference to Fig. 2, where a pair of tubes l, 2, and their associated fins are illustrated, it will be seen that the fins provide a relatively large radiation area without increasing the necessary spacing of the tubes, in spite of the shape of the fins, because the fins match each other whereby the tongue 6 on a fin is received within the angular recess Son the next fin, and the projections I, 1 on a fin are received within the notches 8, 8 on the next fin.

A magazine for assembling the form of fins shown in Figs. 1 to 5, is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 and consists of a base H3 and upright members l5, I6 and Il, i'i. As hereinabove described, the member I5 is shaped in cross section to correspond with the recess 5; the member I6 is shaped in cross section to correspond with the tongue 6 and notches 8; while the members ii, i! are shaped in cross section to correspond with the recesses 6, d; all the said members being of such size as readily to receive the fins in stacked assembly in the magazine. The members i5, H6, H7, Il may be fixed in the base it in any appropriate way, such as a driven fit or screw threaded engagement, and the members H, H are shown as threaded into the base, as indicated at it, so as to be readily removable when the fins stacked in the magazine are to be assembled with the tube l, 2, as hereinabove set forth; while the members I5 and it have a driven fit.

It has been heretofore mentioned that a group of fins stacked in a magazine is assembled with the tube I, 2 by causing relative movement of the tube and magazine, preferably by moving the magazine while the tube is stationary, and this step is shown in Fig. 1 where the form of magazine shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is illustrated as inserting its group of fins between two of the substantially parallel runs or portions 1 of the tube. This may be done manually and, after the fins have thus been inserted between the parallel portions of the tube, the magazine may be withdrawn for the reception of another group of fins. Slots 2| and 22, formed in the members 15 and I6, facilitate the manual holding of the fins in position between the runs of the tube as the magazine is withdrawn. It is desirable to remove the upright members ll, [7 from their base l4 prior to assembling the group of fins with the tube, in order that the said members may not interfere with the insertion of the group of fins between two parallel portions of the tube, and the threaded connection between the said members and their base facilitates this removal, although it could substantially as readily take place if the said members had a driven fit in their base.

The fins may be assembled into operative relationship with a tube that is formed in a continuous length and then bent to desired shape, so that there is no necessity of attaching the return bends, or curved connecting portions, to the straight parallel runs of the tube following the operative association of the fins therewith: the number of tubes and fins may be varied to suit the requirements of any contemplated installation or unit; the extremities of a plurality of tubes may be "joined together or to manifolds, or connected in any other appropriate way to permit circulation of the fluid therethrough; the spacing of the parallel runs of the tube may be varied; and the spacing of the fins may be varied. All this is well within the knowledge and practice of this art, and is deemed to call for no more than the mere recital thereof. Furthermore, while the invention has been described as a condenser for refrigerating apparatus, it will be understood that the construction is adapted to use in other forms or kinds of heat transfer arrangements.

It will further be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, construction, material, and arrangement of the apparatus, and in the steps followed in its production, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; hence I do not intend to be limited to details herein shown and described except as they may be included in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A method of producing an apparatus of the character described which includes the following steps: providing a tube of sinuous form with substantially straight parallel portions; providing a group of fractional fin units having each of two opposite edges provided with a recess shaped for thermal contact with opposed surfaces of a single pair only of said straight portions of a tube; forming on at least one of the other edges of the units a recess adapted to supplement said first named recesses for cooperation with a device for automatically arranging said units in parallelism and alignment; depositing the group of units in a magazine having such a device; causing relative movement of the magazine with the group of fins carried thereby and the tube in a direction parallel to the straight portions of the tube to locate the said group of units between and in thermal contact with said pair of straight tube portions; and repeating the last two steps with respect to additional groups of such units and adjacent pairs of straight tube portions for causing adjacent opposed units to embrace with thermal contact substantially the whole circumferences of said straight tube portions.

2. A method of producing an apparatus of the character described which includes the following steps: providing a tube of sinuous form with substantially straight parallel portions; providing a group of fractional fin units having each of two opposite edges provided with a recess shaped for thermal contact with opposed surfaces of a single pair only of said straight portions of a tube; forming on another edge of the units a projection; forming on a fourth edge of the units a recess substantially corresponding in size and shape with said projection; depositing the group of units in a magazine having a device fitted to cooperate with the shape of the units for automatically arranging them in parallelism and alignment; causing relative movement of the magazine and the tube to locate the said group of units between and in thermal contact with said pair of straight tube portions; and repeating the last two steps with respect to additional groups of such units and adjacent opposed pairs of straight tube portions for causing adjacent units to embrace with thermal contact substantially the whole circumferences of said straight tube portions and when lying in the same plane to match with each other by the mating of their projections and corresponding recesses to constitute a substantially continuous single plane fin structure in the apparatus.

3. A method of producing an apparatus of the character described which includes the following steps: providing a tube of sinuous form with substantially straight parallel portions; providing a group of fractional fin units having each of two opposite edges provided with a recess shaped for thermal contact with opposed surfaces of a single pair only of said straight portions of a tube; forming on another edge of the units a projection; forming on a fourth edge of the units a recess substantially corresponding in size and shape with said projection; forming at the margins of at least two said recesses at least one laterally projecting flange; depositing the group of units in a magazine having a device fitted to cooperate with the shape of the units for automatically arranging them in spaced parallelism and alignment; causing relative movement of the magazine and the tube, to locate the said group of units between and in thermal contact with said pair of straight tube portions; and repeating the last two steps with respect to additional groups of such units and adjacent pairs of straight tube portions for causing adjacent opposed units to embrace with thermal contact substantially the whole circumferences of said straight tube portions and when lying in the same plane to match with each other by the mating of their projections and coresponding recesses to constitute substantially continuous single plane spaced fin structures in the apparatus.

ISRAEL KRAMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,343,351 Collins June 15, 1920 1,588,174 Dewald June 8, 1926 1,775,706 Trane Sept. 16, 1930 1,818,592 Walworth Aug. 11, 1931 1,896,502 Whitaker Feb. 6, 1933 1,943,557 Ruthenburg et al. Jan. 16, 1934 1,988,494 Hoesel Jan. 22, 1935 1,991,176 Rutishauser Feb. 12, 1935 2,038,912 Summers Apr. 28, 1936 2,125,970 Waters Aug. 9, 1938 2,173,077 Minkel Sept. 12, 1939 2,181,107 Prozyborowski Nov. 21, 1939 2,204,613 Nelson et al June 18. 1940 2,209,811 Dierstein July 30, 1940 2,271,538 Brace Feb. 3, 1942 FQREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 325,485 France Apr. 30, 1903 849,373 France Aug. 11, 1939 

